Alternate Reality
by Kret
Summary: Spoiled by the leaked script from back in November, Thane's in-game death seemed a little underwhelming to me. This draws from dialogue and events from that leaked script, that which I could piece together anyway. It's just a different version of his death. Probably the first Mass Effect fic I ever wrote.


Right in her sights. One shot. That's all it would take. And he was thinking the same. Each second passed sluggishly, as she tried to choose her words.

"I know what you're thinking," she noticed a relaxation in his posture as he started to speak, "I'm dangerous. I've had my brains scrambled by beacons and Cerberus and who knows what else."

Time was of the essence. One heartbeat. Two heartbeats. She needed to convince him of everything she knew within a minute. "But I didn't order the Fifth Fleet to save the Council because I like them. I did it because the galaxy needs its leaders." And she started liking what she was hearing.

She took a step forward, and he took one back. "It needs its symbols of hope. Like them. And Spectres. So are you going to kill me, or not?"

She was expecting a long pause, but he retorted quickly. "You know I don't want to, Shepard. But this doesn't exactly look good. You show up gun-in-hand, aimed at a Council member."

Udina saw an opening in Kaidan's reply, and the opportunistic bastard took it. "Shepard has no proof- she never does. You can't seriously be considering this, Major." But the other councilors remained silent. Looks like she was on her own. Again.

Shepard started again, no longer hindered by hesitance. "Do you know what it's like out there? Every single system in the galaxy is paralyzed by fear. If I have to go through you so that the Council lives, so that people can place hope in their leaders, I will."

And despite her wily charms, Kaidan wasn't buying it. An electric sensation lit up his spine, and his hands glowed in response. "Back down, Shepard. We can end this peacefully."

And she heard the oh-so-familiar banging in the vents above. Absolutely perfect. No wonder he turned his radio off. Shepard no longer tried to argue with either of them, she simply stalled, waiting for the display.

And in the instant it took for her to consider what she wanted to say next, hell broke loose.

He was good, but his disease was obviously hampering him. And, even so, he moved so fluidly, with such agility, and it amazed her every time. But she had more to worry about.

Kaidan was on her as Thane dropped in the background. She caught him off guard, and they wrestled for a bit. He had the upper hand, holding her down with biotics, but Shepard eventually shook him off and reached for her gun. They reached another impasse.

In the meanwhile, both were focusing on each other while also trying to make sense of what was going on in their peripheral. Thane was able to dispatch Udina easily- a quick punch to the throat, and he was on the ground. But just before Thane offered the finishing blow- he fired off a shot.

Which hit Thane in the abdomen.

She hadn't even realized Kaidan dropped his gun. One shot. Just one shot. She froze. And then Thane crumpled in a heap next to Udina.

Shepard rushed over, and knelt beside him. "Keprals. It's aggravated by… exertion." He slunk a little lower. "I'm sorry, Siha. I ran all the way here… couldn't let you fail. Thought I was being a hero."

This was it. He was dying. It was staring her in the face, and she wasn't prepared. The thought was always full of much laters distant futures and why did Udina have to speed it up…

"You can beat this, Thane. Don't give up."

"Doubtful. Oxygen proteins aren't working correctly. Your equivalent would be hemo—" a coughing fit racked him then, and Shepard cradled his head so that he was laying comfortably. "Hemoglobin. Can't get oxygen from the air. Brain is starving."

His breathing was erratic, but he made a small effort to hide it. "I know all the experts on the Citadel. Ran diagnostics two weeks ago. I asked what they recommended." He stopped then, and a small smile cracked his composure. "They said, 'Spend time with your family.' I can think of no one better, Siha."

Shepard's ears were ringing, and her breathing was starting to match his. She swallowed and shook her head in protest. "Don't go."

"Your memory is not like mine, but perhaps you can keep me in it a little longer"

"You're not an easy person to forget, Thane. But this is your time."

"Fame was the last thing on my mind. You were the first. Without you… well."

It was getting harder and harder for Shepard to speak.

But she tried humor. "At least it's a memory worth having."

He shook his head at her, smiling again. "No, there is one I would prefer." And he slipped into a memory. "Fist slams the table. Shame at my cowardice, my fear. Atonement means nothing. Her hand touches mine. Her lips part and I tremble. 'Thane, be alive with me tonight.'"

As the memory faded, he craned to look at her. His body relaxed in her arms.


End file.
